GOSPEL: Luke 23:35-43
The people stayed there watching. As for the leaders, they jeered at him with the words, 'He saved others, let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.' The soldiers mocked him too, coming up to him, offering him vinegar, and saying, 'If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.' Above him there was an inscription: 'This is the King of the Jews'. One of the criminals hanging there abused him: 'Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us as well.' But the other spoke up and rebuked him. 'Have you no fear of God at all?' he said. 'You got the same sentence as he did, but in our case we deserved it: we are paying for what we did. But this man has done nothing wrong.' Then he said, 'Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.' He answered him, 'In truth I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.'


REFLECTION
In this week's Gospel, the people stood watching. Some of the leaders kept jeering at Jesus, saying: “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, 'the chosen one.'"And they placed an inscription over his head, saying: “The King of the Jews.”  

How many times do we stand idly by as something that we know is wrong occurs?  We may join in the laughter when someone with whom we work makes an embarrassing mistake. We may choose not to help someone who needs help. Why do we fail to speak up or get involved?  

Jesus forgives those who wrong him. Can we step back, recognise what we are doing or not doing, and make a concerted effort to change?
(Sr Kristine Anne Harpenau)

VINNIES CHRISTMAS APPEAL
With 3 million people living below the poverty line in Australia, including over 739,000 children, your donation allows the St Vincent de Paul Society to provide more than immediate help, it provides something much more valuable - the opportunity for a better life.

This year we are again seeking your support to help those less fortunate in our community through generous donations of non-perishable food items, gift vouchers or gifts or new toys for children or a thoughtful gift for an adult.

Each classroom has been provided with a basket for you to place your donations in and we will be delivering them to the Yass branch of St Vincent de Paul at the end of the term. Your generosity and support is most appreciated.

ADVENT
This Sunday we commence the liturgical season of Advent.

The season of Advent is peculiar to the Western church. It has no counterpart in the East. Outside of Rome it may have arisen as a three or six week period of preparation for baptism on the feast of the Epiphany. Administering baptism on this day would have appealed at a time when the baptism of Jesus was the primary “epiphany” being celebrated (along with other revelations of Jesus’ identity such as the visit of the Magi, the wedding feast at Cana and the transfiguration).

When the birth of Christ came to be observed in Rome on 25th December in the fourth century, Christmas was taken to be the beginning of the year. Thus Advent, once it took shape, served as the conclusion of the year. It was characterised by an emphasis on Christ’s coming in glory at the end of time rather than on preparation for his nativity. Certainly in the time of Gregory the Great (590-604) Advent was eschatological rather than incarnational. It was Gregory who shortened the season from six weeks to four.

Eventually a four week season became universal in the Western church that combined three themes: spiritual discipline (arising from preparation for baptism or from Ember Days), preparation for Christmas (originating in places such as North Italy before being adopted in Rome), and the last times. It was only in the 10th century with the merger of Roman and Frankish liturgical traditions that Advent came to be understood as the beginning of the church’s year. By the time liturgical books came to be standardised in the 12th and 13th centuries a four week Advent season focussed on John the Baptist and on the parousia was established as the norm. (https://www.catholicaustralia.com.au)

ADVENT PRAYER SERVICE
We will commence the Advent season with a prayer service on Monday morning at 9am in the PAC. Week 1 has kindly been prepared by KNB. We extend a warm welcome to all members of our school community to come and celebrate with us.

God Bless,
Warren Ziebowski
Religious Education Coordinator